Live the Marie Kondo Way: KonMari Tips We Love

Live the Marie Kondo Way: KonMari Tips We Love

Like so much of the world right now, we are obsessed with
Marie Kondo. If you don’t know who we’re talking about, Marie Kondo is a
Japanese tidying consultant whose methods of decluttering your life have turned
her into a global phenomenon. Yes, global: her book, The Life Changing Magic of
Tidying, has sold over 10 million copies worldwide and she has her own Netflix
series. Her ‘KonMari’ philosophy suggests that tidying has a profound impact on
your mental wellbeing; that you should respect your belongings, and that
everyone’s space should emit peace, tranquillity, and of course, her trademark:
JOY.

With spring finally here, we wanted to share a few of our favourite KonMari tips that will hopefully inspire you to start a clean start, fall in love with your home again and generally feel your best self.

Spark JOY

This is perhaps Marie Kondo’s most famous tip by now. At the core of her teaching is that you should only keep an item if, when you look at it, it truly sparks joy. It might not sound like much, but it’s incredibly powerful: it inspires a whole new way of considering your surroundings and, inevitably, really illuminates how you want your space to be. It also gives you the freedom to get rid of that old shirt you thought ‘might come in handy’ some day, or the expensive skirt you got on sale that just doesn’t suit you. Plus, it stands to reason that if everything around you gives you joy, you’re going to feel more joyful, right?

2. Everything has its place

Everything you own should have a place. In Marie Kondo’s ideal world even your handbag would have its own designated space that it sits in every night. While every item you own might not have a space at all times, she suggests that you reach a stage where everything does have a home, even if it’s not currently residing in it – so that when the spring clean does come, you don’t end up piling things randomly in a corner. She also recommends being vigilant about this principle in your most frequented spaces like your hallway as it will make your everyday routines so much easier. Don’t be afraid to label baskets and drawers too so that everyone in your home is on the same page – what might seem like the obvious place to put spoons to you might not register with your partner or kids!Tackle categories, not rooms

3. Tackle categories, not rooms

When it comes to the big tidy,
don’t think in terms of rooms – starting with the bedroom, then the living
room, the kitchen. We all know what happens then: we just pile the stuff we don’t
know what to do with in the other rooms. Instead, take clothes first, then
books, then beauty, then photographs (another hint: the nostalgic stuff is
going to take the longest. It’s easy to procrastinate by looking at old photos
and telling yourself you’re ‘sorting them out’ – give yourself a good amount of
time to really get into it). Your approach then becomes much more holistic and
every part of your space will benefit.